Semester abroad Discover the world. During a semester abroad.

The costs for your semester abroad are not included in the IU tuition fees and must be financed independently. The semester fees vary depending on the country and partner university. Thanks to the cooperation with our partner World of Students, you will however receive discounts at many universities on offer. World of Students will inform you about the exact costs for the chosen partner university. It is important to bear in mind that living costs will also be incurred during your stay in the respective country.

Yes, during your semester abroad, you have the possibility to receive BAföG – the BAföG for time abroad, to be precise. It’s different from domestic BAföG, which is why you have to apply separately for this. In principle, a higher assessment limit applies to the BAföG for time abroad, which is why people who have not received BAföG so far can also receive it. It is a prerequisite that your semester abroad is recognised as part of your studies and is eligible for funding. The amount of the monthly BAföG payment depends on various factors, such as your income, your parents' income and your living costs abroad. You can also benefit from funding for your tuition fees and a travel allowance – both of which you do not have to repay. It is advisable to inform yourself about the exact BAföG conditions and the application process at the responsible office in good time in order to secure the financial support during your semester abroad.

Your German health insurance remains valid in some cases even during your semester abroad. If you plan to do your semester abroad outside of Europe, it is often necessary to take out additional health insurance, as your German insurance usually does not cover all costs abroad. Such travel health insurance offers additional protection and is recommended. Therefore, you should inform yourself about the conditions of your health insurance for stays abroad in good time and ask specifically what special rules or additions are necessary for your stay abroad.

For your semester abroad, you have the entire portfolio of our partner World of Students at your disposal. This includes 52 universities in Asia, Europe, Latin America, North America and Oceania. For the selection of your partner university, you can find out more at information events with our partner World of Students.

During your semester abroad, you will visit the campus of our partner university and complete all the courses for which you have registered in advance. You will get to know campus life abroad authentically, meet fellow students from all over the world, and benefit from the leisure activities of your partner university.

Our partner World of Students supports you in completing your application. First, you fill out an individual form to start your application process. As soon as you have submitted the form, World of Students will contact you to start the consultation process. The team will accompany you throughout the organisation of your semester abroad.

The application deadlines vary from university to university. An important aspect when choosing the time of application is the duration of the visa application for the country where your semester abroad will take place. For individual advice on this topic, please contact World of Students.

When you take modules abroad, you may be able to have these recognised for your studies at IU after your stay. This can be done by an individual examination. It is important to note that the recognition of the modules does not shorten the study and contract duration at IU. The tuition fees are also not reduced.